Building on Electoral Victories

Election night 2025 was very different from 2024! Elections in New York City, New Jersey, Virginia and California got lots of attention, and the results in all those places were exceedingly positive. But here in Central New York, there was a much more unexpected victory and upset, as Democrats took control of the Onondaga County Legislature for the first time in nearly 50 years. No one predicted such a major change! And, Syracuse elected our first black woman mayor, Sharon Owens, with 73% of the vote in a four person race.

Maurice (Mo) Brown, a young democratic socialist is likely to take over as the chair of the Onondaga County Legislature in January. Mo is an active collaborator with Syracuse Cultural Workers, participating in brainstorming sessions, writing for our enewsletter and modeling some of our shirts (see above). Zohran Mamdani will become mayor of New York City, the result of concerted, progressive, grassroots organizing that overcame millions of dollars spent by billionaires to smear and defeat him.

We have much work ahead of us, but let us engage in that work buoyed by these clear signs that a strong majority oppose Trump's authoritarian push. The massive and growing No Kings protests, along with all the other local organizing are certainly filtering up to the electoral arena.

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez was her usual insightful self on election, saying in part:

I don't think our party needs to have one face. Our country does not have one face. It's about all of us as a team together. And we all understand the assignment – to send the strongest fighters for the working class wherever possible. In some places, like Virginia, that's gonna look like Abigal Spanberger. In New York City, unequivocally, it is Zohran Mamdani. 

We cannot underestimate the threat and the danger of this moment. But we can not respond to that threat with cowardice, we can not respond by complying in advance. We have to respond with a strong, organized, cohesive and strategic effort to fight for working families, rule of law, civil rights for every American across age, gender, ethnicity and geography.

It's not about progressive it's not moderate, it's not liberal. This is about do you understand the assignment of fighting fascism right now. The assignment is to come together across difference no matter what.

Onward,

Andy Mager
for SCW

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